Thrifty Thursday

Every time I see an article titled “”Save $1000 in a year with these simple ideas” I start to look, hope to learn, and quickly get disappointed. You see, those articles are great for the average 2 Income family with 2.5 kids– those families with disposable income already. We are not one of those families. So, at this point, I try not to even read those articles. I try to remind myself that what we are doing is working just fine. Besides, you cannot squeeze blood from a turnip. Right?

But I do continue to cut back in many ways. Most recently I figured out that our dryer has a vent in it, that sucks my money right out. I never knew how much energy a dryer uses. Honestly! But about 2 months ago I started drying the load of jeans, that I wash each week, on the line out back. (The line was there when we got here, and I thought the previous owner must have been crazy)

That month we were still using a little of our heat but not much. Took away one load of laundry a week going into the dryer. Our electric bill went from 95 to 55. Keep in mind, we have a wood burning stove too – so when we use our heat, rarely, we keep it at about 63 or 64 and hang out near the wood burning stove (and wear a sweater or cover with a blanket). Now, honestly, I would rather have a sweater on, that is just my weird way.

So, that one month, saved 40$ and I knew it was mostly the dryer load. Jeans take the longest. Plus did you know the dryer wears out your clothes more than you, the washing machine, or anything else.

So once I realized I was saving some money, I was sold. We now dry almost everything outside. Not towels, socks, or underwear. (the latter 2 because I am too lazy to hang up individual socks, and the former because I want my towels soft, they dry me off.)

I will say that my clothes do not feel as soft as when they are in the dryer, but you know the lint you clean out every time, that is part of your clothes, fibers breaking down. Those dryer sheets we use for that pretty smell are just about toxic (trust me). So, I have honestly gotten used to my clothes on the line and do not mind one bit – love the smell of the outside!

Another electric bill just arrived – we are now in AC weather – again we do keep it high – about 80 average (82 when Robert is at work, 78-79 when he insists on lowering it at night. And again, my bill was LOW – not lower – I know our AC is not efficient and that is what is scaring me to death right now. But it was $65 with using the AC for moderately hot weather. I am telling you, the drying is a beast!! {this was the May electric bill}

(Oh yeah, and my house was built in ‘66 so it is not the most efficient with heat or cooling – another reason we keep it high and low.)

I am proposing we get a more energy efficient one this fall (since drying clothes in December does not appeal to me), but for now, I love hanging my laundry out. It is so “back to nature” to me as I stand there and hang it all up . I see it blowing in the wind from the windows and I feel like we live in another time. I love it.

The money saving part is so great too!! Since I cannot stop my Starbucks daily addiction ~ to save some money (there is no Starbucks anywhere around), and we already gave up eating out ~ on our dime this year (so far 4+ months!!), and we do almost everything else ourselves, I cannot find too many more places to save some dollars. I am pretty excited about this one!!

We are getting back to menu planning too and I promise that simple act will save so much money!! And sanity!